Ron W. Strong
American Painter
The
deer on pine mountain,
Where there are
no falling leaves,
Knows the coming
of autumn
Only by the sound
of his own voice.
Poem
by Onakatomi No Yoshinobu
 ARTIST'S
STATEMENT
"Centuries ago, Buddhist artists in China and Japan discovered
a common bond between Zen and the art of painting. They realized
that it was via the subconscious mind that one may discover the
path to self-realization. What the artist represents on canvas is
something of himself after he has given it the powers of expression.
It is in his inner, subjective interpretation of life reproduced
in infinite variations and multi-levels of consciousness. And for
its vitality and longevity his art relies heavily on the viewer's
receptivity and preparedness. Like any other discipline, it is for
the initiate to learn how to "see" what the artist has
brought forth in visual form. In other words, it is only through
his art that the artist may speak directly to the viewer. The harmony
and balance of elements in a painting can evoke great mystery and
strength. Where the intellect is limited by knowledge and experience,
the subconscious is receptive to a visual vocabulary that transcends
the familiar, the conventional, the cliche, replacing them with
the unknown, the fantastic and the sublime.
"In my paintings, I strive for such inner qualities as simplicity,
naturalness, stillness, emptiness, tranquility and asymmetry. Contemplating
a work of art requires silence of the mind, much like a child's
"thoughtless" gaze across the night sky. In children,
imagination and infinite spaces go hand in hand, for they perceive
the world with the subconscious eye, and they see not the convention-bound,
limited, ordinary adult world, but instead lose themselves in the
unfamiliar infinite spaces of the imagination.
"I subscribe to the view that an artist paints for himself.
He reveals himself through his art. My paintings begin with an idea.
In other words, the seed is the idea as it begins to germinate and
grow. In the end, the pine bears no resemblance to the pine cone.
And so the miracle of art has taken place. Spontaneity and control
shape the idea, much like the combination of water and air in nurturing
a young sapling's growth. Similarly, style shines through every
stroke and imbues the totality of a painting with its uniqueness,
its visual expressiveness. This may be why I am so fascinated by
the spontaneous, graphic quality of tribal art, generated by hallucination
and born out of a collective subconscious as may be found in the
ancient art of the American Southwest, including Mexican art, and
particularly in cases of Asian and African art. Utilizing a combination
of material, colors, patterns, and execution, artists in these cultures
addressed themselves to the mysterious interior, where roams the
unfettered spirit common to us all.
"In my paintings, I search for the universal language buried
within us, running deep in the subterranean waters of the subconscious,
where I may communicate directly with others through the medium
of painting and then viewing with a quiet mind, the full power of
the composition is revealed. My paintings want to affect the viewer
at a level deeper than the immediate senses by triggering a profound
psychological response and capturing the spirit of deep and involved
emotions. By having a spareness of elements for the mind to hang
onto, where spiritually realized elements instead of mirrors of
images are used, thoughts are suspended in space and one is simply
left in awe of the work. In these paintings the viewer should sense
something very powerful and moving."
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Linton Travel, New York, New York, USA
Stanford University, California, USA
Dr. Thomas Duckworth, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
Dearborn Investments, Portland, Oregon, USA
Dr. Elwood Alpers, Dean of Honors, UCLA, California, USA
CORPORATE COLLECTIONS
Alltel Corporation, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
Baker, Nelms & Montgomery, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Simon & Schuster, New York, New York, USA
Pankratz International Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
William Morris Agency, Inc., Beverly Hills, California, USA
Dieckman & Associates, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Apple Computer, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Prudential Corporation, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Whitlock Capital Corporation, New York, New York, USA
Chase Manhattan Bank, New York, New York, USA
EDUCATION
Art Department, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, BA, MFA, 1970
Click on Ron Strong images for larger view.
Contact
Galleria Silecchia for complete information on
the works of Ron Strong.
Prices and availability
are subject to change.
The artist reserves all reproduction
and copyrights.
Receive
our Newsletter: Keep up-to-date with current events at Galleria
Silecchia. We’ll let you know what’s happening and
when.
Newsletter Archive
|
Two locations:
|
|
|
GALLERIA SILECCHIA
12 S. Palm Avenue
Sarasota, Florida 34236
20 S. Palm Avenue
Sarasota, Florida 34236 |
|
|
© Galleria Silecchia
2000-06. Sarasota, Florida.
All rights reserved.
Site designed by Marje Cannon, hosted by 
|
 |
